While Caitlin Clark prepared to return from an injury of five games on Saturday, she was unnecessarily careful.
She spoke in advance about giving herself ‘grace’ when she returned from her quad problem. After all, it was the first time she had put offside since high school, and she had not played in three weeks.
“You know, maybe you shake some rust and come out of a number of things, and just go back into its flow,” she told reporters.
That plan turned out to be complete, almost laughable hypothetical when Clark immediately returned to her very best for a packaged Gainbridge Fieldhouse, with 32 points, nine assists and eight rebounds a victory of 102-88 to repel the title defender.
If there was a sign that she had spent, it might be the sight of her sniffing and puffing after the conclusion of the first quarter.
It is crucial, however, that that fatigue came after she had buried deep three-Pointers on three consecutive assets, her tongue protruded in celebration while she dragged her team back into the game. That was the Clark we remembered.
Caitlin Clark made an incredible return to the fever on Saturday when they won the victory at home
She looked back at her very best after missing three weeks with a quad -stem
“They were all in transition, so I felt that I quickly ran around to try to get them off … That will probably take everyone out,” Clark answered a question from Daily Mail about the series.
“But as I said, I felt really good outside of it. And now for me, it’s just how I recover, especially with the schedule we have, that will be super important. We play a lot of games in a very short period, so I really have to take care of myself to ensure that I do not deteriorate in any way. ‘
The ruling Rookie of the year may still get her legs lungs under her, but fans were treated on Saturday to the full Clark experience.
Her game, while she screwed the needle to Kelsey Mitchell for her first assist of the game. Her brash, because she earned herself a technical error to joke the referee in the second quarter.
And especially her absurd shooting range, while she ended the afternoon with seven triples. When she came out of her fast nine -point Burst in the first half, she pulled herself out of almost mid -court. The shot missed, but it was hard not to feel that it was a justified heat control with how well she played.
Fever coach Stephanie White broke after the game: ‘Do we not always expect that kind of game for Caitlin? You know, good, bad or ugly, I knew her adrenaline would be high to start. I mean, she itches to come back.
“So, that’s for sure. I thought it would be a 25-point [first] half? No. But as she does so often, when she gets hot, it’s a line. ‘
It took a bit for Clark to get started, but this crowd – many of whom fell a few hours earlier in the area around the Arena – was happy to be patient.
Freedom ran to 17-6 lead when Sabrina Ionescu was the most impressive guard on the field in the early stages.
Yet it was not long before Clark, who only scored her second field goal with 3:06 in the first quarter, started.
Things shifted quickly in the coming minutes. Clark ended the period with 14 points, the fever was only two and the fever fans were on the move.
The attack remained there from Neuriën, while Lexie Hull and Kelsey Mitchell also had productive first halves, while Clark ended half with a fairly amazing 25. And she was not ready yet.
Ionescu woke up again to start the third quarter and quickly scored five points. A few free throws from Nastaha cloud (after a bucket a few minutes earlier) turned the advantage to a six-point lead for visitors to briefly calm an enthusiastic day of the day.
But Clark and her teammates were not about to let the freedom spoil her.
The former Iowa star continued to come to her places, Aaliyah Boston helped in with a number of brands and the freedom -without important starter Jonquel Jones -had trouble keeping track of what a high -ooctane fever looked out while the lead was no less than 13 in the third quarter.
Sabrina Ionescu had a strong match despite the loss of the Liberty and scored 34 points
Clark showed a rare bit of death towards the end of the third quarter when she missed a few free throws.
In combination with different sales in the fourth quarter – one series saw her the ball coughing on successive assets – the Liberty had the opportunity to linger. They obliged (if only for a bit) when the leadership reduced to four before Boston and Mitchell made a number of large plays with Clark who received a breathing break.
She checked for the last time in the game with 3:43 left and a lead of 11 points, and put any opportunities on an already unimaginable comeback from Liberty to bed with a few handy assists.
Before the victory, Clark said that it ‘almost feels like the start of the season’ given the fact that she only played four games before she was injured.
There can be no doubt after this stunning version that it is in the middle season.
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